Syngenta

Nominated for Greediest Biopirate

Nominated by François Meienberg (Berne Declaration) – Tuesday 21 February 2006

Reasons for this nomination

Syngenta’s still living patent claims on big parts of the rice genome.
The effect of these patents on research and the livelihood of farmers will be even more dramatic. These patent claims are very comprehensive and include numerous gene-sequences commonly found in many different crops such as rice, wheat, tomatoes, tobacco, or peanuts. By restricting the use of genes even in conventional breeding these patents constitute an enormous obstacle for breeders of new crop varieties and, in the long run, a serious threat for global food security. This comprehensive patents on plant genetic materials, while scientifically preposterous and presumptuous, show that Syngenta does not care about the consequences of its actions. Commercial interests rule supreme – even if they make the fight against hunger more difficult.

Supporting info

http://www.evb.ch/cm_data/public/report_ricepat050426_e%20(2).pdf

http://www.evb.ch/cm_data/Syngenta_Patente_Rech8F8EE.pdf

http://www.evb.ch/en/p25010728.html